Stroke of Luck
by sporadicbat
Summary: After Gabriel's confrontation with Lucifer, Sam realizes just how in love he was with the archangel now that he's dead. Gabriel finds himself alive again and receives a prayer sent by Sam.
1. Prologue

Maybe if he had payed attention he would have realized it earlier. Before everything had gone wrong. Before Gabriel died. For them no less.

It was only after Gabriel's death that Sam realized what he was going through. To have to watch your family kill each other, and not be able to stop it. And then to be alone, for centuries. Eons of hiding who you were. Gabe must have felt so utterly alone. It was only after, that Sam realized how much he liked the trickster.

But now he was dead, and there was nothing Sam could do to fix it. Leaning forward into his hands, Sam sent one last prayer to the archangel.

_"Gabe? Gabriel, if you're there... If there's anyway you're still alive..."_

Sam stopped, he was being an idiot. Of course he wasn't still alive, Sam had seen the trickster's wings burnt into the ground himself!

But, shakily Sam went on. "_If you're not dead, please... we need you. I need you."_

And with that Sam stopped. Letting out a weary sigh, he sat up and got ready for bed, only to lie there for hours in the dark thinking of everything and nothing, but mostly of a certain archangel that left a tear in his heart.

Hundreds of miles away, sitting on a rock ledge overlooking the ocean, Gabriel received a prayer. Shocked that Sam of all people would pray to him especially when he was supposed to be dead. Because that's just it, he was _supposed_ to be dead. The archangel had been ready to give his life to protect those two humans, although if he was honest with himself one in particular, and by some fluke or miracle, here he was. Alive. He had _felt_ the blade enter his chest, _felt_ his grace flood out of him. So, why wasn't he dead?

Giving up on figuring out how he was alive, Gabriel turned his thoughts to the prayer he received. Should he go back to team free will? Or was it better to go into hiding again?

Standing up, the archangel made his decision, and with a flutter of wings the cliff was empty again.


	2. Chapter One

**AN: To my lovely commenters, you have made my night. And day. And most likely my week. This is my first attempt at writing anything with chapters, so I beg of you to bear with me. **

**I give you chapter one!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any characters. If I did, Gabriel would be alive...*sob*_

* * *

The younger Winchester woke to the sound of a slamming door. Groggily sitting up, he looked over to Dean as he set a grimy looking plastic bag on the equally grimy motel room table.

"Breakfast Sammy, rise and shine." Dean greeted him in a gruff voice.

In silence Sam stood and went to sit in a chair next to the table. Reaching out and pulling the bag closer Sam peered in. "Chips and donuts? Really Dean?"

Dean scoffed, "Breakfast fit for kings" was his indignant reply. After receiving a withering glare from his brother, the older Winchester snapped "Just eat the food Sam." muttering something about rabbits to himself afterwards.

After finishing as much of the sugary pastries as he could, Sam turned to his brother. He couldn't get Gabriel out of his head, so maybe research would be exactly what he needed to distract him.

"So, any idea on how to locate the last two horsemen?" he asked.

"Not one. I'll see if Cas has any thoughts, maybe he can help." Dean replied.

Sam nodded as Dean spoke out "Cas, please get your feathery ass down here, we need your help."

Within seconds a flutter of wings announced the arrival of Dean's favorite angel.

"What is it that you need help with Dean?" Castiel said, giving Sam a nod.

Staring at the angel, Dean replied "We're looking for Pestilence, anyway your angel mojo can tell us where they are?"

"Pestilence?" Cas inquired, alarmed "What are you doing looking for Pestilence?"

Sam cut in "Gabriel told us," he paused, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Uh, he told us that we might be able to send Lucifer back into his cage with the horsemen's rings."

Looking surprised, Castiel unglued his eyes from Dean, turning them instead to Sam. "Gabriel is here?" The angel spread his senses out, searching for the tell tale sign of the archangel's grace. "Hmmm, I believe that will work." Unable to sense any trace of Gabriel, Castiel turned to Dean again, "Where is Gabriel?"

Sam lowered his eyes to the ground, focusing on his bare feet to hide the faint trace of tears in his eyes. Sparing a glance at Sam, Castiel looked to Dean for an answer.

"Gabriel is..." Dean looked away quickly, then back. "Gabriel is dead, Cas. I'm sorry."

The words hit Castiel like a hammer to the skull. "Dead?" he whispered. "But... how?"

"Lucifer got him." Sam choked out as he quickly wiped away a tear, earning a funny look from Dean.

Castiel remained silent, staring at the floor instead of the elder Winchester for once. Looking up he connected eyes with Dean. "I cannot just, find, the horsemen. I will see if there is anyway we can summon them." Without waiting for a reply, the angel flew off.

Resigning themselves to a day of research, the two brothers settle in.

* * *

Focusing inwards, Gabriel found the strand of his grace that is his bond with Castiel. Relieved to see it glowing strongly, the archangel followed it to his younger sibling. While Gabriel wasn't all that worried that something had happened to his brother, he still cared for him and took his role as big brother more seriously now that they were on the same side.

Castiel was thumbing through some dusty old texts searching for anything he could find relating to the horsemen, when suddenly the familiar sound of beating wings filled the air. Immediately on guard, Castiel placed the volume he had previously been reading aside and stood up, ready for whoever just flew in.

"Now Cassy, is that how you treat your favorite brother?"

That voice...Turning around slowly Castiel's suspicions were confirmed. Gabriel sauntered over past Castiel, lowering himself into the chair the younger angel had just vacated.

Not sure how to react, Castiel tilted his head. "Gabriel," the archangel turned to face his brother, "Dean told me you were dead."

Nodding solemnly the archangel replied. "Ah, yes."

"Yes? But you are alive. How is that possible?" Castiel continued.

His face contorting in thought, Gabriel hummed to himself. "No idea! Thought you might have had something to do with that, but judging by your perplexed expression, I think not."

"No, that was nothing of my doing, but I am glad you are not dead." Castiel's voice was laced with sincerity.

"Aw Cassy, I didn't know you cared." Cooed the archangel

"Of course I care for you, you are my brother." Was the confused reply. Gabriel sighed, sarcasm just went right over the other angel's head.

"Well, if you didn't bring me back, who did?"

Frowning, Castiel was silent for a few moments before answering. "I believe our father is responsible for your resurrection." Gabriel scoffed, "Oh yeah, cause Daddy Dearest always loved me best."

"God is the only one who has enough power to resurrect an archangel. He is still present with us." Castiel said with conviction.

"Then where is he?"

"I do not know. It seems, if our father wants to be found, he will show himself. Until that happens we must have faith."

Another laugh escaped Gabriel's lips, his brother was truly loyal to their father.

"Do Sam and Dean know that you are not dead" Castiel asked, changing the subject.

The archangel's silence was enough of a reply.

"When Sam told me Lucifer killed you, he seemed upset."

"Why would Sam be upset that I kicked it." Gabriel played it dumb. "If anything he should be glad I died, what with all those Tuesdays."

"Do you truly believe that?"

"So did the boys take my advice?" Was the only reply Castiel got.

"About the horsemen?"

"Yeah, I want our lovely brother Luci back in his cage."

"I am researching ways to summon the remaining horsemen. We already have two rings."

"Wonderful, halfway there, now we just need to keep everything from the God Squad and we'll be right as rain!"

"You still need to tell the Winchesters that you are alive." Castiel reminded him.

"Alright alright, don't get your feathers in a twist." Gabriel stood up, his face twisted into a scowl.

Satisfied with the response, Castiel went back to his research, and with a flutter of wings Gabriel flew off again.

* * *

Dean Winchester heaved a sigh. "If I look at these words any longer, my eyes will fall out of my sockets."

Although he was normally the one who loved research, Sam had to agree. The two brothers had been going through every book and website they could get their hands on, working past midnight. Now two in the morning, they finally called it quits for that day.

Laying in bed listening to his brother's snores, Sam's thoughts once again turned to the archangel. The day of research had been a good distraction, but now with nothing else to occupy his mind, Sam couldn't help but go over and over the day Gabriel died.

With a heavy heart, Sam closed his eyes, resigning himself to another night of restless sleep.


	3. Chapter Two

Gabriel didn't go to the Winchesters immediately, instead he returned to the cliff he found himself on the day before. He needed some time to think before going to confront the brothers. Should he stay, once they knew he was alive? Or should he call it quits, after giving his life for their cause? Surely that was enough. He finally stood up to his family, and died because of it. They couldn't ask him for more. Right?

With a sigh he massaged his forehead, those questions were giving him a headache. Whatever choice he made would have consequences, that he was sure of. But what those would be even he couldn't predict.

And what about Sam? Why would he be praying to him, of all the angels? This question kept circling his mind unanswered. Gabriel had thought the giant of a hunter hated him, even more so after the mystery spot incident.

Smiling to himself at the memories, Gabriel wished for the past, something he seemed to be doing a lot these days. The apocalypse can do that to a person, or an angel in his case.

All of this was a side of the archangel that rarely emerged. A serious Gabriel was about as likely as a lovestruck Dean, and with the hunters determination to avoid everything and anything chick-flick it was pretty much nonexistent.

Gabriel remained there, looking out over the surrounding mountains as the day wore on, still unable to make up his mind. He knew he would have to tell Sam and Dean about his return to life soon or Castiel would, and for some reason the idea of the younger angel taking to Sam before he did annoyed him.

At last, Gabriel stood up. With a snap of his fingers he willed a sucker into existence, and with a second snap he was gone.

Sam Winchester was waiting for the waitress to deliver his salad when Gabriel appeared in front of him. Mouth agape, all he could do was stare in disbelief at the archangel.

"Hiya kiddo," Gabriel chirped out around the ever present sucker, "Miss me?"

Unable to respond, Sam continued to stare, not even noticing when his food arrived. This must be some kind of a joke. A really really bad joke. Was it even possible to impersonate an archangel though? Surely that would be some kind of a sin or something. His eyes slowly traveled down to the sucker in Gabriel's mouth. Realizing what he was doing, Sam snapped his mouth shut with a click of teeth.

Rising out of his seat abruptly, he stormed out of the diner, leaving the archangel and his untouched salad behind him. He was in desperate need of answers. Did Castiel know Gabriel was back? Why didn't he tell him and Dean? How was he back? What did he want from them, if anything? Would he stick around? Could he trust him?

Pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of footsteps, Sam whirled around. Gabriel had followed him from the diner, looking all the world as if he had never been dead in the first place.

"What's the rush kiddo?"

Sam just stared.

"What? Struck dumb are we?" the archangel teased, Sam's eyes glued to the sucker he still had in his mouth.

Turning away Sam remained silent. He had so many things he wanted to ask, but didn't know how. Sam wanted to trust that Gabriel was back and that was that, but years of hunting had trained him not to trust easily. He would ask Dean, and hope that his brother had an idea of what was going on because Sam sure as hell did not.

"Sammy," Gabriel whined, "Stop ignoring me! Come on, give me something to work with here! I raise from the dead and what do you have to say? Nothing! Not a single thing! If I didn't know better I'd say someone removed your vocal cords. Wait," he looked slightly worried, "You do still have your vocal cords right?"

At this Sam turned to give the archangel bitch face #12.

"I still have my vocal cords, happy?" Sam snapped.

Gabriel feigned hurt, "Ouch, that stings Sammy! I was merely concerned! You being a Winchester and all it was entirely possible, and I had to cover every option!"

"Well take your concern elsewhere!"

At this, the archangel truly did look hurt, but Sam couldn't be sure. His eyes must be playing tricks on him.

Resuming his power walk back to the motel, Sam looked away from Gabriel, focusing his eyes forward. He did not have feelings for the archangel, at all. Sam repeated this like a mantra over and over again in his head. If this was all a hoax to make him believe the archangel was still alive, Sam was determined not to fall for it.

Glancing back over his shoulder to find the archangel had disappeared, Sam quickened his pace.


End file.
